


Staying Still

by SgtPepper007



Series: Oneshots [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Dancer Kim Jongin | Kai, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Idols, Injury, Injury Recovery, Inspiration, Male Friendship, Mentioned Byun Baekhyun, Mentioned Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Mentioned Kim Jongdae | Chen, Mentioned Kim Joonmyun | Suho, Mentioned Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Mentioned Oh Sehun, Mentioned Park Chanyeol, Mentioned Zhang Yi Xing | Lay, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 00:51:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15763236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SgtPepper007/pseuds/SgtPepper007
Summary: While EXO were rehearshing for a concert, Jongin injured his foot. It's been two months since his accident but he still has a hard time practicing with his fellow members when his motivation keeps decreasing. Being unable to dance freely affects him in more than one way.However, on a hot summer day spent practicing with his friends, what seemed like an usual day took an unexpected turn.





	Staying Still

The wide room was hot and humid. The summer air was hard to breathe and invading the dance studio, not missing any corner to fill with its suffocating heat. Nonetheless, ten bodies were standing, sweating from head to toes and dancing like their lives depended on it. They had been there for two hours already but it felt like six.

"Okay, one more time!"

Some of the boys shared a quick glance at each other but none of them complained. After all, they were in no position to slack off when a concert was approaching.

"Now five, six, seven and eight!"

The instructor's voice echoed through the room and the remaining nine men followed his lead. He was loud enough to cover the music's sounds that could make the dancers feel its beats on the floor. Some of them even wondered how come he could have so much energy on a Monday morning in the scorching hot weather. But they wouldn't complain. They had to give their best and they would keep dancing until their bodies would break. There were no such excuses as tiredness and over heat. 

While the nine members were focusing on polishing their movements and perfecting the new choreography, a man was sitting alone in a corner, watching his fellow members with hawk eyes and analyzing their every move. He would sometimes move his arms in unisson with them or his leg that was free. 

"Come on guys! You are slowing down! Let's start from the beginning once again. Do you want the concert to be good or not? Let's go!"

The observator kept following the instructor and his friends until his casted foot suddenly reacted, making a sharp pain flow though his injured member. He couldn't help but release a low growl, the pain hitting him hard.

"Shit."

As soon as he did so, he looked at his friends and made a short eye contact with Sehun who managed to catch his painful cry over the loud speakers. Their eyes soon drifted away, one towards the mirror and the other directed on the wet floor. The latter could see small drops of sweat falling from his damped hair and decorating the wooden floor below him. However, he wasn't sweating because he was moving around like them but solely because of the heat.

He hated it. He hated everything about his injury: the way the people around him gave him pitiful looks, the faint murmurs that he was able to catch about how unfortunate he was, the fact that he had to sit during practices, that he could do nothing but watch his members do what he loved the most and most importantly, he hated the fact that he couldn't follow his passion at his full capacity.

It had already been two months since he hurt his foot while they were rehearsing for the concert. Two months that felt like eternity, like hell. 

And it wasn't over. He wasn't even halfway through his healing process.

How long will it last? Three months? Six months? A year? 

It hurt so much to see his friends performing without him. It hurt so much to appear on interviews and variety shows with them with a damaged foot, to only be able to sit for hours while they were having so much fun together, to feel excluded.

It hurt to not know how or when it will get better, to wake up every morning wondering how his foot will react to the schedule, to feel the stares of the staff that pitied him and looked down on him.

It hurt to lose confidence, to feel useless, to be a burden to the group. It hurt to not be able to see the sight of the fans on stage, to disappoint them. 

He missed the feeling of the adrenaline rush flowing in his veins, the way he would move freely and in harmony with the music, the feeling of every beat resonating through his body.

He missed his freedom that was taken away by his injury.

If only the problem was only physical; it would have made things a little bit easier. He couldn't stay positive and smile while watching his members dance. He was envious. He couldn't help but feeding countless doubts about himself and his foot, his whole career that was on the line. 

His happiness.

A sudden change of atmosphere interrupted his thoughts. The music that was playing loudly stopped, making the many sighs that left his friends' mouth clearly audible. 

"Finally, a break!", exclaimed Jongdae.

"Man, i am so worn out!", said Baekhyun with a yawn.

The others all showed their agreement with a similar response.

"The yawning festival is starting! Don't let Baekhyun's disease infect you!", screamed Chanyeol.

"Too late."

All the members looked around and showed how sleepy they were. Each one of them collapsed on the floor, not minding how sticky it was, and tried to catch their breath. Every single inch of their bodies were covered in sweat, damping their clothes. It was a feeling that was always unpleasant no matter how much they were used to it.

"Is there any water bottle left?"

Yixing looked at Minseok and shook his head while gulping the last drops of water that were left in the last bottle in which he ran to as soon as the music stopped.

The oldest let a sigh escape his lips and removed his hat that made his hair even greasier.

"I told you that you shouldn't wear it today", said Junmyeon calmly but breathlessly.

"I'll go buy some water bottles for you all", he added.

The members all showed their thankfulness, too lazy to get up and reach the far end of the building where they could buy the drinks.

"You guys can stay here, i'll buy it for you."

The small but confident voice made all heads turn around towards him, drawing the attention of his friends.

"Are you sure, Jongin?", asked Jongdae.

His kind smile only filled with concern made him feel uncomfortable, an effect that saddened him.

"Yes. You all kept moving around for so long. You should lie down and rest as much as you can. I'll go and bring the drinks."

"Yay! Thank you Jongin, you're the best! Please make it quick, i am dying from thirst!"

Kyungsoo elbowed Baekhyun in the ribs and gave him a scolding look. The boy looked at him, offended, but he understood quickly what he did wrong, suddenly regretting the words that uncounsciously came out of his mouth.

"Jongin, i am so-"

"I don't mind. I'll leave now."

Jongin put a smile on his face and got up as fast as he could to hurriedly leave the suffocating and heavy room. He could feel a pair of eyes following him intensely but he didn't pay too much attention to it. He closed the door as soon as he stepped out of it. 

It was going to be a long day.

 

•▪¤▪•

 

"I think that we should stop for today."

Jongin watched Yixing take a towel and remove all the sweat from his face. He looked exhausted, his features tensed from the intense day of practice as well as the heat that was persistent. It was indeed a long day. Understanding his feelings and wanting to let him rest, Jongin approved and lent him a freezing bottle of water.

"Thank you for helping me, Yixing. I know that it has been a hard day for you and that your hips aren't in good shape either. You really shouldn't ha-"

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. My hips aren't that bad and it's my pleasure to lend a helping hand", interrupted his friend.

His tired eyes expressed genuine kindness while he grabbed the bottle filled with liquid that would refresh his sore body. The two of them had been practicing for a few hours now and it was already one past midnight.

Each of them stood in a comfortable silence, caught in their own thoughts while catching their breath. Yixing almost fainted in the afternoon while practicing because of the piercing heat, yet he was there with Jongin, showing him the moves he missed while he was gone meeting his physiotherapist. He could barely stand, his legs shaking from exhaustion, but he showed him the movements even if his injured friend couldn't do half of them.

Jongin looked at his friend with admiration. He knew that he was having a hard time and he wondered how he could have the courage to stay strong after all the time when his hips were causing him problems. He was never fully able to get rid of it but he still smiled genuinely. 

Suddenly, Yixing broke the silence.

"You know, the pain won't last forever."

Their eyes met, tired, but somehow awake and aware. Yixing sensed that Jongin was curious and didn't quite understand his statement, which encouraged him to continue.

"I don't know about mine, but yours will heal sooner than you think. Right now, a month might feel like a year but in no time, when you will go up on the stage, all the past months and struggles will seem like only a fraction of second in your lifetime. The first months are always the worst but it gets better. You will get used to it and when you will the least expect it, it will heal, the only scar being stuck in your memory."

Slowly, his speech began to sink in his mind. Like flowing water, the gentle and honest words of the man spread and soothed his turbulent thoughts, washing away all his doubts and confused feelings that kept eating him. He never knew that simple yet meaningful words from his friend would reach such deep parts of his mind.

Speechless and a little bit emotional, Jongin stood still in his chair, his gaze not faltering and focused on the man in front of him, fondness radiating off him and enveloping his senses. Like a spell, his words took possession of him, refusing to leave him alone.

The long and tiring day suddenly felt lighter. The weight on his shoulders were loosened. They both felt like an invisible tension lingering in the practice room was lifted away, letting space for a new kind of warmth to envelop them. It was a warmth that made them closer, that strengthened their bond and that made them understand each other like never before.

They stayed still for a while, enjoying the precious moment that they shared together until Yixing wrapped the towel around his neck and gently patted Jongin's shoulder, giving him a bright and encouraging smile. Their eyes met once again and he left the room, leaving a teary eyed Jongin behind in his own thoughts. 

While he opened the door, Sehun was standing in front of it, surprising both guys. Tears were making their way out of his eyes shamelessly. It was enough to make the injured man cry his heart out silently. He knew that Sehun was watching his every move but he wasn't aware of what the whole situation and his own feelings meant to the youngest.

Both of his fellow members stayed still, no one wanting to interrupt the somehow magical moment that was taking place in front of their own eyes. It felt special and warm, reassuring. At that moment, the three friends were crying while looking at each other, their faces wet from the endless tears that couldn't be restrained anymore. The quiet night was peaceful, comfortable. No words were needed. Only their cries could be heard in the building and it was enough for them. For a moment, it felt like time stopped, that they were the only ones in the world.

Suddenly, Yixing patted gently Sehun's arm and smiled once more at Jongin that was still crying wholeheartedly. He turned his heels and walked out. Sehun then wiped his face quickly, held his tender gaze with his dear friend for a few seconds, smiled brightly and closed the door, following Yixing who made his way towards their dorm.

At that moment, Jongin thought for once that it felt great to cry. 

For once, he was crying because of happiness instead of desperation and revolt.

For once, he truly felt like practicing and improving. He felt like facing his injury head on, to prove to himself that he can heal, that he can be a dancer no matter what.

The night was warm, but not because of the summer heat.

Because of the love that filled his heart and the tears that wouldn't stop, ones that made him feel alive and strong.


End file.
